ESCONDIDO'S PET POLICIES: BY THE NUMBERS

1: The number of adult dogs and cats allowed in a mobile home, condo or apartment. Proposed change: 2.

2: The number of adult dogs and cats allowed in a single-family home. Proposed change: 4.

3: The number of adult dogs and cats allowed on an estate or a farm. Proposed change: 4.

SOURCE: City of Escondido

ESCONDIDO 
In an effort to reduce the number of animals euthanized at the Escondido Humane Society, the city is considering changing its zoning to allow more cats and dogs in a home.

The proposed change, championed by Councilwoman Olga Diaz, would boost the number of adult cats and dogs that are more than 4 months old from one to two in a mobile home, condo or apartment, and from two to four in a single-family home.

The change also would increase the number of dogs and cats on an estate or farm from three to four.

The City Council voted 3-1 last week to authorize city staffers to draft an amendment to the zoning code, with Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler opposing. Councilwoman Marie Waldron was absent.

The amendment will be presented to the council at a date to be determined.

Pfeiler said she didn't want to add to the city staff's workload because Escondido has just laid off 25 employees to help close a budget deficit.

Diaz became concerned when county residents Joe and Robbie Benson, who had volunteered at the Escondido Humane Society, collected 330 signatures in May on their Fix The Escondido Humane Society Web site, urging the society to stop euthanizing animals that can be medically treated and saved.

The Bensons, who live near Lake Hodges, started the Web site because they believe the Humane Society has been killing hundreds of animals each year that have minor medical or behavioral problems. They called those problems “very treatable conditions such as skin conditions, minor respiratory conditions, and thyroid conditions” that could be corrected with a little attention from the staff.

Katie Woolsey, the society's spokeswoman, said she didn't know how many animals are killed each year, but said the society never euthanizes healthy pets.

Since May, the number of signatures has grown to 371, with some of them coming from as far as France, Sweden and Ukraine, said Robbie Benson.

She said the recession is exacerbating the problem, with more people dropping off animals because they can't afford to keep them.

Benson contacted Diaz, herself a dog owner.

“I saw this as something I could do without causing any upheaval,” Diaz said.

She recommended changing the city's zoning code to increase the number of dogs or cats allowed.

Diaz noted that the proposed number is still smaller than the six animals allowed per household in San Diego County.

Woolsey said it is too early to tell if a zoning change would speed up adoptions.

“It could help,” she said.

In the meantime, Woolsey said, the Humane Society will continue to euthanize animals that have untreatable problems.

The Humane Society has about 400 animals in its facility, with 100 more in foster care, she said.

The Humane Society contracts with Escondido for animal control. It answers 200 to 300 calls each month, Woolsey said. Most of the calls are about loose, stray or neglected animals, and pets left in cars.